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The electronic book revolution will get a kick-start in late November when RCA in the US launches its hand-held eBook reader. RCA has already signed deals with Penguin and Warner to publish bestsellers ahead of conventional hardbacks, and ahead of rival PC-based e-book formats Adobe Glassbook and Microsoft Reader. RCA's eBook reader will cost from $299. You then buy eBook texts on a memory card, or download them via the built-in modem. Anti-piracy encryption ensures you can only read the text on one reader. It can't be copied or printed.

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